A Fake I.D. Can Be Devastating to Your Future - Even if All You Wanted to Do Was Get Into a Club on Saturday Night

Fla. Stat. §322.12 provides that it is unlawful to possess, display,
sell, manufacture, or forge, a fictitious, stolen or unlawfully altered
or unlawfully acquired driver’s license. There are many ways in
which this statute can be violated, and with the exception of one circumstance
all violations of this statute is a 3° Felony, punishable by up to
5 years in Florida State Prison.

The only Misdemeanor that is contemplated in this statue is when a person
possesses a driver’s license in which the date of birth has been
altered, or the person has given a false age to apply for any Driver’s
License. This 1° Misdemeanor is punishable by serving up to one year
in the county jail.

With these possible penalties for facing the allegation or unlawful possession
of a fake or altered I.D. or Driver’s License it is imperative to
consult with an experienced Tampa Defense Lawyer as soon as this allegation is made.

The Criminal Defense Attorneys at Taracks & Associates are very experienced
with representing individuals who have been charged or arrested for Driver’s
License issues. Whether it is because of an illegal change of a date of
birth to get into a club with older college classmates, presenting incorrect
documents to DMV to get a Work Permit, or other circumstances including
using a false identity to try to secure a Driver’s License, we have
defended these types of charges.

Often the DMV or the investigating officer doesn’t fully investigate
the facts, and will charge the most serious Felony offense. This occurs
even though the case should be a Misdemeanor due to an incorrect date
of birth. This crucial distinction should be presented to the prosecutor
long before you go to court. Hiring an experienced Hillsborough Defense
Attorney who knows what facts to present to the prosecutor for a good
result on your case, can protect your future, and not allow a moment of
bad judgment to follow you the rest of your life.

For example, if you alter the date of birth on your Driver’s license
so that you can go out with your older friends, that sounds relatively
harmless. Unfortunately, that is against the law, and likely to be the
basis of a Felony Arrest. This should be a Misdemeanor under Fla. Stat.
§322.12(6). But this is not something that you can just tell a Judge
to get the right result.

In this type of case, the Tampa Criminal Defense Attorneys at Taracks &
Associates will present the necessary facts to the prosecutor’s
office in an effort to secure either a Misdemeanor or possibly a dismissal
of the charge. Even if the prosecutor does proceed with a Misdemeanor
for changing the date of birth on your Driver’s License, you may
qualify for a Diversion Program. Once in a Diversion Program and you successfully
complete the conditions of the program, your charges will be dropped,
leaving you without a conviction.

We also know that people will use someone else’s driver’s license
for the only purpose to entering into a club with older friends as well.
Although this is not considered a Misdemeanor, the facts and reasons for
the use of the Driver’s License can also be presented in an attempt
to negotiate the charge to a Misdemeanor as well.

Regardless of whether the Driver’s License Charge is a Misdemeanor
or a Felony, you may qualify for the entry into a Diversion Program. This
is one of the option that we will discuss with you during our free consultation.

In cases in which a Diversion Program is not an option, we will develop
a strategy to investigate the charge for the possibilities of having the
charge dismissed. In cases in which dismissal is not secured, we know
the mitigation that can be presented to either the Court or the Prosecutor
to secure a Withhold of Adjudication, so that you can honestly remain
conviction free from this charge.

For example, if the DMV relied upon an out of state’s computer entry
to prove that you presented false information to secure your Driver’s
License with information that is out of date and incorrect, then documents
from the other state that proves a computer mistake will be crucial. We
have the experience to know what documents are necessary, and how to properly
secure them for your benefit.

Facing a Criminal Driver’s License Charge in Florida is a serious
allegation that can affect your future in many ways, and not only the
risk of jail or prison time. Did you know that the DMV has the authority
to suspend your privilege to driver based upon a Court Conviction for
certain Driver’s License Charges? This is one of the many ramifications
to facing a “Fake I.D.” charge that the Experienced Criminal
Defense Attorneys at Taracks & Associates are aware of. We continue
to strive to protect our client’s rights and freedom while providing
representation for allegations of Driver’s License Violations.

If you are facing a charge or allegation of violating any Driver’s
License Charge
contact the Experienced Criminal Defense Attorneys at Taracks & Associates
for a free consultation to discuss the facts your case and to develop
a plan to confront the charges in such a manner to achieve the best result possible.

The information on this website is for general information purposes only.
Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual
case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt
or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.